A Perfect Ending, A Perfect Beginning
by MusicIsLife11
Summary: Leah doesn't know what the new year will bring her... but she can't wait to see.  Blackwater engagement.  : Absolutely adorable.


**A/N:** Aha, I love writing Leah. She's such a character! Happy New Year guys! Wishing you the best. xx Review!

**Disclaiming:** You know the drill. If I was Stephenie Meyer, you'd all be yelling at me for stuffing Jacob and Leah over.

* * *

_I start running because if hurts,_

_I stop running because I see you__._

Another year had passed yet again; another year of misery. I'd somehow gotten used to the fact he'd never be mine - that he was taken by somebody I never would have expected to be his lover. He'd always been so sure of himself, so easy-going. If I'd expected he'd just turn the love I gave him away, I'd have never loaned him my heart. Too bad he'd decided to steal it anyway and apparently, never give it back. I'd gone through several possibilities about what would make him like me better. Shorter, whiter, prettier eyes, thicker lips, prettier face, better body, bigger boobs - was that possible? I was already an F cup! - and perhaps a better history. But no, I hadn't been born with the beauty other girls possessed. I'd been put into a body that may as well have belonged to a man - barren, unable to hold children.

Before I found out I couldn't have kids, I actually hadn't thought about having kids. Now knowing my womb would never be filled with another life was a little depressing, but hey, I worked around it with the man of my dreams.

Then of course, he decided to go after my cousin - how freaking sick is that? I mean, my _cousin_! Yeah, that's where things got sticky in the mud for me. Of course, I wasn't one to get all depressed over a guy... Okay, yeah, I was. I spent endless nights crying, long days in my bedroom and didn't eat or drink for at least four days. What else was I to do? The physical pains made the ache in my heart stop long enough to pretend they weren't real. He'd been mine for so long... six years. Six long years. I'd been in love with him the entire time, and he'd gone and thrown my heart away like it was nothing better than a piece of paper that a toddler had scribbled on.

So, let's see what we've got here. Broken heart; check. Ugly figure; check. Barren and unable to have kids; check. Most likely to end up single when I die and have 24 cats; double check. Wow, yeah, if I have all my figures right, my life sucks. Please insert smiley face here. Ha, joke. However, there were some parts of my life that weren't just about my betrayer of an ex-fiancée and cousin. There were people who hadn't hurt me - instead, I'd hurt them to lessen the pain... Again. This person had owned a good portion of my heart before they'd gone and -gag- imprinted on somebody. This person had been somebody I thought I could trust with my life - and they believed I still thought I could.

They were wrong, of course. I wouldn't trust him if he begged me. Not that he knew how much he hurt me everyday I saw him with her, but he had to have an idea by the way I acted towards her; the way I never got along with the stupid bad excuse for a girl- I mean, angel that could do no freaking wrong. Spawn of Deadward and Dumbells was their precious little parasite daughter, Pestenesmee also known as Pest-In-My-Ass. A growl behind me reminded my to keep my 'negative thoughts' a little quieter. I shot an image of something nobody besides the partner should have seen and Deadward shut up completely. Ah, the sweet silence.

Anyhow, back to the spawn. Pest-In-My-Ass was all sweet until you got to know her. She really was a brat - too smart, too vampirically beautiful, too bratty, too alluring, too pest-ive, too positive, too loud, too nice, too annoying, oh, and also too like Dumbells. So yeah, she's just _too_ much. I mean, if I needed another perfect person in my life, I'd have just gone to the box in the attic to get out my millions upon zillions of _Barbie _dolls. But no, the man I loved had once again, gotten away because of another imprint. Imprint. Why did that word send vial in my mouth? Why did I have the need to run to the bathroom and puke my guts out?

It was because imprinting and puking at a lot alike: they're useless, annoying, smelly - well, one of them is, right? -, unnecessary and above all, unnatural. My ex-fiancée didn't need to imprint. My ex-hopeful-fiancée didn't need to imprint. But of course, they had. Why? Because fate hated me so much that I was destined to die alone, have eight one cats, forty six dogs - harty ha - and three fish. Scratch that, four fish. I don't think we need another love triangle in our lives (thank you Stephenie Meyer!).

"Leah?" a familiar voice called, sounding of course - wait, can you guess? Yeah, you can, I can't be stuffed waiting though - like wind chimes. I looked up from my casual seat on the Cullen couch, Pest-In-My-Ass and ex-hopeful-fiancée beside me, putting on my brightest, almost real(?) smile.

"Yeah, Esme?" I answered, turning in my seat to see the tiny woman, wearing kitchen mittens and her hair in a high pony tail.

"Would you like to help me cook?" Ah, dear ol' Esme; she knew me so well. By 'helping' her cook, I usually got to lick the spoons, be the 'taster' (which usually became the 'eater') and best of all, decorate. I had a thing for using the pink and green spray on icings' to make swirls on cakes and since Esme loved making cakes for just about everybody in town, she often let me do it. I was pretty sure Esme had given a cake to everybody in town; hey, maybe she'd think about giving everybody in La Push a cake? Eh, scratch that. They'd probably expect there to be a bomb inside... Hmm. That's a good idea to get rid of people I don't want in my life. Let's just have a little visit to Pest-In-My-Ass...

"Sure, Esme!" I smiled, hopping from my seat before realising once again, what Alice had dressed me in. I say once again because through the entire year, in my drift moments, Alice has decided to dress me up like I'm her personal doll. I don't really notice because she's so fast and gentle about it. Today, I was wearing a dress I was sure had been custom made since the shoulders had to stretch out a little bit more for me as well as the hips. I would have to thank Alice for not dressing me in any girly shades - had a reputation to keep, you know? However, the dress was kind of cute. Figure-fitting, turtle neck, a bit snug and a light green, almost lime. I rolled my eyes at Alice's added part - over the once flat surface of the dress which was snug against the body, she'd added a new layer of different materials, making it flowy and extremely pretty. Maybe I'd wear it to a dance or something?

I practically danced into the kitchen, not noticing two sets of eyes on me. Probably ex-hopeful-fiancée and Pest-In-My-Ass. When I entered the kitchen, the scent of a roast wafted in the air. I checked my watch; seven and a half hours until 2011. Oh, fun. I pulled on the apron Esme had bought me for Christmas; it was kind of ironic about the colours and design. A black apron with some Native American patterns across the ties and a howling russet-coloured wolf in the middle. When I say ironic, I definitely was _not _talking about the resemblance between my ex-hopeful-fiancée and the wolf on my apron.

"Okay, so I want you to make sure everything doesn't burn. Just turn the stove off when the roast's done, but make sure the chicken isn't raw in the middle... The dessert is what I want you to make." Esme's words made me laugh but it wasn't until she gave me a grave look that I realised she was serious. "It's going to be a trifle for Charlie since he doesn't cook. Basically, he's taking the food to the reservation." Ah, that explains the cooking. Usually, we only cooked for Pest-In-My-Ass and the residents of Forks, so the large feast Esme was making would be for Charlie to take the reservation. I recalled there being a barbecue the pack was obliged to go to; the other people just went for the hell of a party. This may be the perfect chance to put in some odd peppers and spices in the chicken; make it extra... flavoury. Another glare from Esme and I got to work, checking the roast every ten minutes although it'd probably take about two hours to complete.

An hour later, the trifle was in the fridge, setting and the roast was half way finished. I set the timer before walking out the door, back the loungeroom where Pest-In-My-Ass and ex-hopeful-fiancée were.

"Hey, Lee," Jacob smiled. Damn it, I promised I wouldn't use his name in this... Oh well, I guess I'm a fool anyway. Why else would I be in love with a guy completely off limits? I have a damn problem for falling for the wrong guys. "You going to the eng-," Jacob's eyes widened for half a moment before he corrected himself, looking a bit flushed. "Er, party tonight?" Right, party. New Years' party. Lotsa fun.

"Probably not," I answered, plopping on the chair with a quiet boom. Pain-In-My-Ass (you want me to call her the real name her idiot of a mother called her? Yeah, I guess I should respect her for... two seconds or something.) looked up from Jacob's lap, her fourteen-year-old looking face innocent. Little devil.

"Why not Aunt Lee-Lee?" Renesmee Fucking Carlie Cullen (what's up with that name?) asked, fluttering her eye lashes innocently. I would not give her the satisfaction of this...

"I'm not feeling very well. You know, er, aromas in this place. Why aren't you going?" I asked, even more bitter-sweetly then she did. Renesadork - I mean, Renesmee, gave a deep sigh as she answered.

"Mummy says she doesn't want me going to a place with dog- I mean, um, werewolves." Oh. She. Did. Not. Stupid hybrid, good for nothing turd, idiotic shit-head, over-imaginitive, good for nothing, idiotic, stupid, unfascinating cun-

"Leah." Deadward growled, pulling me out of my thoughts. I smiled sweetly. Instead of speaking the words, I raised a delicate eye brow at Jacob and moved on.

"Oh, how sad," I imitated her deep sigh. "Hmm, I think I might actually go. After all, can't miss my wonderful cooking, eh Esme?" I called down the hall, knowing she could hear me.

"Of course, honey," Esme called. Was that sarcasm I noted?

"Yes, yes it was." Deadward answered, giving me one of his favourite smiles. I put up a finger Pest-In-My-Ass should have not have known about quite yet. I heard a gasp from Dumbells who had just entered the room and I gave her my best smile before grabbing the remote and turning on the T.V. Soon enough, Emmett and Rosalie came to watch the game and the T.V. was taken from me. Good for me, since my roast smelled just about ready. I pushed against Jacob/ex-hopeful-fiancee's knee to get up and made my way to the kitchen however not before I noticed Pest-In-My-Ass glaring at me. Oops.

The scent of chicken roasting was delicious; I'd definitely take credit for this meal. I turned off the oven and reached for the mittens Esme had worn although not really worried I'd get burnt; I mean, I did run at 104 degrees. I put the pan on the un-heated stove and added the needed herbs - not before tasting it of course. Esme danced in like a ballerina who'd been practising for years and smelled the food, scrunching her nose.

"It smelled better when I was human," she murmured, trotting to the fridge to get the bowl of trifle. She took a wift and a pleasent smile spread across your face. "Maybe your cooking is finally improving." I grinned but checked my watch again, eager to go home. Five hours until midnight. I sighed, stretching my arms in an attempt at cracking my back. With the approving sound, I sighed.

"Thanks, Esme, but I think I'd better go. The party starts at eight thirty and apparently, I need to find a formal dress in my cupboard," I looked down at the dress I was already in, wondering briefly whether the doll dress would count as formal. Deciding against it, I watched as Esme put the roast in one of those silver things that the snobby royal people use. It was still pretty however and if anybody knew not to judge me on what I brought food in, it was the Quileutes; they had huge stomachs.

Esme looked up when she was done, smiling. "Come on, let's go to Alice. She's good with re-fitting dresses and such." Urg, dresses. I was led to a room where instantly, Alice, Esme and Rosalie were all over me.

"Woaw!"  
"Ouch!"  
"Rose, what are you _doin-_"  
"Alice, if you put that on me, I swear to God-"

About an hour later, I stood in one of the most _annoying_ dresses I'd ever worn. The dress was figure-fitting, a colour the same shade as the bluest sea and, well, pretty. It had a 'V' cut line but to make it look less, well, slutty, it reached the floor in a flowy kind of look. Gah, I need new words for these but honestly, I've never been asked to discuss what a dress looks like. In the mirror, I could see - and feel - the material felt like silk, but a stretchy fabric that looked nice with my slim but well built figure. It had taken all of an hour, and I was dressed, wearing matching blue flats, had my make up perfectly done and hair straightened so straight that it reached the natural length of my waist. Wow, Rosalie should have been a hair dresser.

The girls waited for a reply. They continued waiting until they began biting their lips; I guess I'd better answer?

"Shit."

Esme, Alice and Rosalie broke into grins as they straightened out the dress and added whatever the hell they wanted while I admired myself in the mirror. Yeah, this was now officially weird. First and foremost, I was letting vampires - my mortal enemies - touch me, dress me and hug me. If this had been last year, I'd have barfed on Deadward and Dumbells. Okay, so I'd gotten used to Carlisle, Emmett (that dude made me laugh. Once, we were watching a game and he challenged me to a game of one-on-one soccer. Urg, bad move honey!), Jasper and the girls. Everybody, except Deadward, Dumbells and Pest-In-My-Ass. Okay, next problem. I was admiring my reflection, bringing me back to the fact Rosalie knew how to do make up better than models, Alice knew how to dress better than any fashion designer and Esme knew how to make anything look cute. So yeah, I guess number two goes back to number one.

Basically, when you start liking vampires - minus their stench. Ew. Just ew. - things get different. You grow to get used to their barbaric ways and used to the fact these guys aren't all bad - just mostly. Yes, I added that part for Deadward who I was sure was scavenging my mind right now. I heard a chuckle from downstairs. Ha. Hilarious.

"Thanks, guys... You really didn't have to..." I bit my tongue, a little guilty for putting them through so much but I reminded myself I was like a baby to them - they couldn't dress each other... Okay, they probably could. But they enjoyed dressing somebody -almost- human. "I'd better get going. Half an hour now." I sighed, being pulled into a hug by everybody but Rosalie, who waited until last.

"You look pretty, 'kay?" she told me, raising a delicately trimmed eye brow. I smirked, pulling her into a reluctant hug. "And... keep an open mind tonight. And never say no." I gave her a look that was an obvious, 'huh?' look. Alice hissed under her breath and I felt Rosalie shrug under my grasp. Letting go, I grinned a bye, before rushing to get the food into the car. It was already gone apparently, since when I went into the kitchen, it was gone.

"Thanks Emmett!" I called, grabbing my keys and running - thank God I was in flats - to the car. It wasn't raining yet, but the dark sky would definitely ruin the dress if it decided to rain. The drive there took fifteen minutes and personally, I loved it. Staying home when it was about to rain or was raining was boring. Being out in the rain was boring. But when it was about to rain and it was really dark and you're driving... I don't know. I just love it. So after a singing marathon of Ke$ha, I reached Emily's house - yeah, I know, it sucks but that's where the 'party' was being held - and grabbed the silver thingie that held the roast and the trifle in the other.

"Aunt Lee-Lee!" Little four-year old Claire squealed as she ran out, arms outstretched. I grinned leaning down to peck her cheek but unable to hug her since my arms were filled. Emily came out -please insert gag here- and took the roast, smiling.

"You look breath-taking, Lee-Lee." I gave a weak smile, flattered. With the other hand, I picked Claire up, resting her on my hip as I walked.

"You look adorable, Claire-bear," I crooned, pecking her cheek again. She giggled, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck as I walked over to the table, briefly wondering why everybody stopped to stare. I was thankful everybody had dresses and tuxedos on, not feeling so outsider-like now. Even as I set the food on the table which had been placed where the couch had once been set, people stared. I recognised their faces, but not their expressions. Pride, sadness, impatience... A strange mix of emotions. What. The. Hell.

The night continued much like that. We ate - everybody loved my food - and we celebrated, danced and drank but the eyes never left me. Finally, it was quarter to twelve. Almost 2011. Finally.

"Leah," a husky voice whispered from behind me. I spun around, my heart practically leaping out of my chest. I'll admit it: I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Jacob Black. It wasn't because of his drop dead gorgeous looks of six pack (those were bonuses), but him. He was sweet, funny, kind and caring. Sincere, thoughtful, absolutely perfect.

Yeah, stop thinking about it, I reminded myself dryly as he looked me up and down before his mouth practically fell open. "Wow, you look," he stuttered for a word. "A-amazing." He seemed to be having a hard time staying still right there. "Um, can I talk to you outside?" I waited a moment before agreeing, wondering what he could possibly want to know. Finally, I nodded, letting him lead me up the stairs and out through the main guest room, into the balcony. It was beautiful what we saw - the sky was dark and the stars glistened beyond the dark clouds that told me rain was coming.

"What's up?" I asked, keeping my expression plain. He look at me like he was worried but I ignored it, waiting. He sighed, walking a few steps away from me.

"I've been wanting to ask for so Lee-Lee... But this stupid imprint got in the way of it... I'm not letting get in my way anymore. Leah, I love you." I think my heart just stopped beating. Jacob knelled beside me, pulling out a blue box which held one of the most perfect golden rings ever. The base was a large emerald, surrounded by several diamonds. He slipped it onto my finger, waiting. "Will you marry me?"

I couldn't speak; I couldn't breathe, damn it! I pulled him up and checked my watch for the time. 11.59pm already? Wow. I met my lips with his and he instantly leaned down. I stopped after a minute, waiting for 12.01am. Then, I met his lips once again and he smirked through the kiss.

"A perfect ending," he whispered, entwining his fingers with mine.

"And a perfect beginning," I agreed, meeting his dark eyes. I don't know what the new year held for me...

But I couldn't _wait _to find out.


End file.
